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When installing a new gutter system, there is more to think about than just the gutters themselves.  There are many other parts that play a vital role in helping the system function well.  One of those important pieces is the gutter bracket.

A gutter bracket is a type of hanger which attaches the gutter to the home often through the fascia board.  They are typically spaced 2-3 feet apart and range from a standard bracket to a heavy duty application.

Unfortunately, there are many ways to improperly install a gutter bracket.  The most common installation mistakes are:

• Gutter brackets are spaced too far apart.

• The wrong type of bracket is used for the specific gutter application.

• Inferior brackets are used instead of quality ones.

• Gutter brackets are not screwed in tightly enough to offer sufficient support.

• Gutter brackets are over-tightened resulting in a gap between the fascia board and gutter system.

When brackets are installed incorrectly, the results can be devastating.  Water damage, premature replacement and a poorly performing system can all be direct results of a bad bracket installation.  This is why it’s not only important to find the right gutter bracket for your specific application but also ensure it’s installed the right way for optimum performance.

Here are five problems that can happen with poorly installed gutter brackets:

1. Sagging Gutters – Ask any gutter professional and they will tell you one of the top complaints they hear is sagging gutters.  Gutter brackets installed too far apart is often the chief reason behind this common problem.  Gutters can become very heavy when supporting a large amount of rain water or snow thaw.  During these peak periods, support is needed for them to withstand the extra weight.  When there isn’t enough brackets, the results are sagging and bending gutters.

2. Gutters Pulling Away from House – When gutters don’t have enough support from the brackets, they begin to pull away from the home itself.  This can be not only unsightly but also cause real damage.  Leaks can occur leading to water damage into the foundation, sidewalks, and driveways.  Separating gutters also experience improper pitch, making them less efficient at removing the excess rain water.

3. Improper Drainage or Pooling Water – Pooling water from improper drainage is one of the most common problems homeowners experience with faulty gutter bracket installation.  Because the gutters themselves are typically sagging, they become less able to drain the excess water out of the system.  The water begins to pool in various areas throughout the gutters leading to rusting, overflowing, and leaks.  Pooling water can also attract breeding insects such as mosquitoes leading to another host of problems.

4. Water Damage – Like most home issues, one gutter problem leads to another which leads to another.  When gutter brackets are poorly installed the system begins to sag and bend.  This often causes leaking within the system.  As the brackets begin to separate the gutters from the fascia board, the rest of the home is left exposed allowing water to penetrate the ceiling, foundation and basement.  Mold, wood rot and more can occur when this problem is left unresolved.

5. Premature Gutter Replacement – Gutters which are constantly sagging and weighed down with heavy water flow premature more quickly than those that function properly.  This means homeowners may need to replace their gutters earlier than expected leading to increased cost and installation time.

   WHAT TO DO ABOUT SAGGING GUTTERS AND DOWNSPOUT ISSUES

   Straighten a Sagging Gutter

   Sagging gutters are out of level from the back to the front.  You should be able to place a bubble level sideways across the gutter and have the bubble remain dead-center.

   Sagging can be attributed to large amounts of water backing up and standing in the gutters.  When this happens repeatedly over time, the gutter hangers will eventually loosen.  Wood fascia boards rot and the fasteners do not hold as securely as before.  This can cause your gutters to pull away from your house; simply hammer the gutter spikes back into place.

   The long-term solution is to remove the gutter and to rebuild the fascia board with a PVC board.

   Tighten the Downspouts and make sure connections are secure 

   Downspouts are the vertical sections of closed pipe that convey water from the gutters to the ground.  Downspouts that have loosened from the gutters are usually the result of missing or torn-out screws that are meant to attach the downspouts to the gutters.  This is especially the case when, instead of using outlets, the installer cut out the gutter into flaps and attached the downspout to the flaps.

   Downspouts, too, can become loosened from the side of the house.  The two problems work in concert with each other: After the downspouts loosen from the gutters, they create stress and loosen the straps that secure the downspouts to the house.

   Fit a downspout drop outlet into the gutter. Seal it with gutter sealant and screw it into place with gutter screws.  Then, fit the downspout onto the outlet (from the bottom). Use screws to attach the downspout onto the outlet in at least two spots.  Follow up by fixing the downspout against the side of the house with straps.

Gutter Elbows & Gutter Clogs

Did you know that gutter elbows are an important part of gutter downspouts and gutter leaders because elbows enable gutter installation to be “tight” to the house or building.

However, elbows can create their own problems in terms of clogging.  Because gutter downspout elbows bend and turn, debris getting into elbows can collect at these bends. This debris will accumulate and eventually clog the Elbows.  When Elbows become clogged, they MUST be cleaned to ensure proper water drainage and avoid costly water damage to your home or property.  Cleaning gutter downspout elbows, especially up at a 2 or 3 story level is time-consuming, difficult and often dangerous.  So, eliminating this task is a laudable goal.

Consider Changing Your Gutter Downspout Elbows

First, understand that the most common gutter elbows used is the 75 degree gutter elbow.  Many mistake this for a 90 degree elbow because, from the ground, it looks like 90 degrees. It is not – it is 75 degree.  That said, 75 degree is still a fairly severe turn and very capable of stopping debris and clogging. So, what to do?  Where possible with all upper elbows, use 45 degree gutter elbows.

45 degree elbows significantly “smooth” out the gutter bend, making it much more difficult for debris to get caught.  This greatly increases the velocity of water flow and significantly reduces the possibility of clogging in these upper elbows.  We say “upper elbows” because in almost all cases where an elbow is used at the bottom of the downspout, that elbow should be a 75 degree elbow, which directs water best away from the house or building.  45 degree elbows give a much better “flow” because they are “straighter” than 75 degrees. This means more water and debris will flow down and out of the 45 degree gutter elbow.